Zealots
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: It takes a bit of persuasion to get Jethro to agree to some changes at home. This is part of my Here and Now series.
1. Skeptics

Skeptics

"Let me get this straight," Jackson Gibbs directed, leaning judiciously on his cane as he moved slowly towards the living room. "You want me to tell Leroy that his living room requires a complete do over. Is that what this shanghaiing me is all about?"

He stopped and leaned against the doorway.

Abby slid around him and hurried to the center of the room where she spun, making her pigtails and bouffant skirt swing, also.

She chirped enthusiastically, "Exactly right- as you can see, this whole room needs some serious help and a dose of tender loving care."

Clasping a hand on the older man's shoulder as he came up from behind him, Tony leaned his head towards Jack's and spoke conspiratorially. "Consider the fact that your son exhausts himself on a daily basis in his position as a super duper NCIS agent. That caliber of dedicated worker deserves to come home to nothing short of utter relaxation and peaceful bliss."

Not turning loose of Jack's shoulder he used his other hand to gesture the expanse of the room. "Let me direct your gaze to take a good look at that sofa. It, alone, practically elicits condolences when people venture to the abode to visit."

Jack sighed and moved further until he could rest a hand on the one lone armchair. "Well, just how many visitors does my son get?"

Abby and Tony exchanged startled glances.

When no answer immediately followed, Jack turned to regard them and slowly grinned. "Now I have it. That let the cat out of the bag. You two want the living room spruced for your own gains."

Pursing her lips in concentration, Abby flopped down on the weather beaten sofa. "True, but to be fair, any improvement would benefit your only son, directly or indirectly." She smiled and began to twirl one of her dark pigtails.

Tony ran his fingers through his thick hair and regarded Jack, his green eyes sparkling. "We want you to broach the subject, please, our dearest Jack. Boss will not yell at you, but he has no qualms about yelling at us. Truthfully, the man has already chewed us up and spit us out on the issue. You, alone, stand as our last resort."

"You just start talking about it, and then we will jump in with some more begging," Abby explained.

Jack laughed at the honest pleas and ran the back of his hand across his mouth. "How could I refuse an appeal like that one?"

Fingering the worn sofa fabric he shook his head in agreement. "This has seen far better days, let me assure you." Using his cane to tap the coffee table he added, "This thing barely stands. I believe I could hold more weight than it could and I am a very old man now."

Tony contradicted, "No, not too old."

"So you will help?" Abby clarified.

"I will, indeed," he promised, eyes twinkling. "I look forward to joining forces with the two of you in this mission of mercy."

In the past several months, Tony and Abby had relocated to the House of Gibbs, as they referred to Jethro's home, despite the fact that they both kept leases on their apartments. Irregardless of his stern demeanor and opposition to touchy feely situations, he offered Tony and Abby shelter, and security, and though he would not admit or advertise it, love.

Jackson Gibbs had made the journey from Stillwater to Washington to visit all of them, something he had begun to do regularly. Abby and Tony proved a buffer between Gibbs the elder and Gibbs the younger, whose relationship had lay dormant and contentious for years. This heralded the beginning stages of their renewed father and son bond, and all four hoped it would succeed.

Passing the plate of crisp dinner rolls to his son later, Jack got the conversation started as promised. "Son, take a couple of these and then tell me if you have any reason to hang onto any of that living room furniture in there."

Setting one of the rolls on his plate Jethro countered, "How did my furniture turn into a problem for you, Dad?"

Despite their earlier pleas for assistance, once Jack broached the subject Tony and Abby stayed silent. Setting his fork down to rest on his plate Tony raised his eyebrows at Abby, who had just put a spoonful of Jack's homemade beef stew in her mouth.

Despite his back up, Jack wiped his mouth and settled back in his chair to continue. "Did I say your furniture bothered me?"

"Well no, Dad, but why would you question me about hanging onto it otherwise?" Gibbs asked reasonably, then picked up his cup of coffee and took a long swallow.

Setting the cup back down he glanced at Abby, who cut her eyes towards Tony and then pretended interest in her own roll. Switching his focus onto Tony, he noticed the younger man attempting to feign enthusiasm for a gulp of sweet tea.

Jethro narrowed his eyes and shook his head knowingly. He could attribute his father's sudden interest in the furnishings to those two. Their masterminding must have included recruiting Jack to their cause as a spokesman.

The corner of his lip twitched.

"Dad, by any chance has the state of those furnishings been discussed with you earlier today by a pair of home décor zealots?" He leaned back in his chair and regarded Tony and Abby with steely blue eyes.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Jackson replied, meeting his son's eyes with his own steady blue gaze. "However, I can see myself that your living room needs help."

"I wonder why you two have stayed silent," Jethro pretended to ponder, "considering that you have campaigned for this change yourselves."

He simulated bewilderment, shrugging his shoulders and arching his brows.

"Well, we just thought…" Abby began hopefully.

"Forget it," Gibbs interrupted, cutting off the defense. "You campaigned to redecorate and you lost. Now, both of you quit conscripting help and drop this. I told you no."

Tony countered, "You never said the issue closed, Boss, and by the way, zealot is a bit harsh."

Jethro stood and gripped the chair's back with both hands. "Really? Let me say it now. I like the living room the way it is and have no plans to re do it. That should make it clear."

Abby rolled her eyes, "Gibbs, please listen!"

Jack laid a hand on his son's arm. "Why do you object today about their idea, Leroy?"

Annoyed, Gibbs regarded the three with irritation as he grappled for an answer.

They watched him expectantly.

Opening his mouth to speak, he suddenly closed it and evaluated the issue at hand. What harm would it do to let them redecorate the living room? After all, in the back of his mind he had long realized that the springs had broken under one of the sofa cushions and that the upholstery hung in shreds from the back of the wing backed chair.


	2. Advocates

Advocates

As for the curtains, he could not remember what their original hue had resembled. At one time he had entertained building new coffee and side tables himself, but over the years, had pushed that project behind any and all others.

It had made no difference to him how any room of the house appeared to anyone for many years.

Somehow in the past months, though, Abby and Tony had ingratiated themselves into his home and after work life.

It had begun with staying an occasional night because he did not want them driving through D.C. so late. Then it had progressed to their deciding to spend alternate nights. Once he got used to that arrangement conditions changed again, and now they pretty much ensconced themselves in the House of Gibbs.

Despite how or when the modest home for one transformed into a welcome house for the motley family of three eluded Jethro. Trying to pinpoint the exact month one evening several weeks ago Jethro stopped abruptly, and decided that it really did not matter.

He regarded his audience again.

Abby and Tony both had their mouths formed into pouts.

Sensing a sudden, unexpected change in his demeanor, however, they exchanged hopeful glances with one another.

Beside them, Jackson had adopted the expression he used to convey the fact that he found someone ridiculously stubborn.

Evidently, Jethro acknowledge privately, he was the target.

Grabbing his coffee cup he sighed irritably, "Ok, go ahead, but…"

Abby jumped from her seat and threw her arms around him, interrupting his threat. Determined to maintain some control over the project he loosened her grip and continued, "Go ahead, but if one single problem arises about anything at all you are going to scrap the project."

"Boss, relax, remember that Baby Girl and I already have planned out the transformation," Tony grinned, standing, and then deftly juggling several dishes from the table and transferring them to the sink. "Just leave the living room in our capable hands and reap the rewards when we finish."

"I am proud of you, Son," Jack added, "for staying open minded about this."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, not willing to prolong the conversation further. "Whose turn is it to clean up the kitchen?"

"Mine, Gibbs," Abby answered, shoving a chair under the table.

"Get busy then," he ordered gruffly. Refilling his coffee cup from the exhausted coffee pot he left for the basement.

Before he got down the steps Jack, Tony and Abby congratulated each other over their coup and the fact that he had capitulated with so little fight.

Stacking dishes into the dishwasher rack Abby worried, "Maybe he is sick or something."

"Nothing at all ails the man, Baby Girl. You just want to add drama," admonished Tony.

"I do not want drama! Take that back." Abby argued, turning to regard Tony with a mutinous expression.

Jack pulled rank. "Hush, both of you. If you start squabbling I guarantee you Leroy will go back on his decision about the room."

That stopped them in their tracks, and they regarded each other guiltily. Jack moved between them and placed an arm over each of their shoulders. "Now, do I get to plan and redecorate, also?"

The rest of the week found the two younger agents hurrying home as soon as work at the agency finished.

Jack waited for their arrival every afternoon before he commenced contributing to the cause. He sensed how they needed to reinforce their own security by physically tying themselves to Jethro via that room.

Because of his thoughtfulness, they returned to a parade of home cooked meals and delectable desserts, and under Jack's influence they lingered longer at the table as a family each evening.

Jethro declared talk of the progress and his basement off limits until they finished the room, a ploy to afford him precious peace and quiet to think each night after supper.

Privately, the rest of the family watched him descend the steps with relief, knowing that not worrying about him freed them to devote themselves to the room unrestrained.

Ten days later, exhausted, but jubilant, they announced the christening of the House of Gibbs combination living and family room.

Not willing to ruin their excitement, Jethro allowed Abby to lead him to the room while he kept his eyes closed.

Tony had reassured him that the original plan had been to blindfold him, but that Tony had nixed the idea.

Gibbs thanked him.

When he did open his eyes, though, surrounded by Jack, Tony, and Abby, he actually felt his breathing change as he took in the scene.

They had outdone themselves.

Off white, ecru colored paint covered the walls, making the room cozy and inviting.

His eye traveled to the centerpiece of the area, an overstuffed sofa so large it could easily seat six adults. A soft butter yellow brown leather, several dark red and dark green corduroy throw pillows added to the inviting look of the couch.

The large coffee table and side tables, built from light knotted pine, showed the practical thinking of the decorators. The side tables held tall, sturdy lamps in solid colors of yellow, rose, and forest green.

Two matching wing backed chairs faced opposite the sofa, both with upholstery the color of wheat and trim of braided gold.

Painted a soft emerald green, a wicker rocker and matching ottoman stood slightly in front of the fireplace and caddy corner to the end of the coffee table.

Opposite the rocker, a recliner in a rich caramel brown had as an accent two light yellow throws.

The windows had blinds left open to invite the beauty of the outdoors throughout, but crisp linen drapes, in alternating stripes of soft green, light yellow, and barely red on a cream background, framed the windows.

The decorators had provided knickknacks sparingly, except upon the mantel over the fireplace. There, in a variety and sizes of frames, they had displayed several group shot photos of all of them.

Further, they had surrounded the television entertainment area with built in bookcases, again in that soft, light pine. Movies, games, and books filled several of the beautifully polished shelves.

Jack, Tony, and Abby watched him hopefully.

Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose.

They had managed to preserve his no fuss approach and practical leaning within attractive, comfortable, inviting pieces of furniture. The room surpassed his expectations.

He cleared his throat, then swallowed, his voice catching when he spoke. "See, I told you zealots that you could outdo yourselves if you put your minds to it."

A man of few words, his audience understood that they had made him proud.


End file.
